Posts Tagged ‘motorists’

WASHINGTON (Nov. 19, 2014) — “AAA applauds the nomination of Mark Rosekind to be the next NHSTA administrator. Mr. Rosekind’s experience with and commitment to motorist safety will be a tremendous asset to an agency that faces important questions about breakdowns in the recall process and is tasked with overseeing the emergence of vehicle safety technologies. AAA urges Congress to act swiftly to approve this nomination and fill the administrator position that has been vacant for far too long.”

“The expansion of onboard maintenance reminder systems – which often cover oil-change services – appears to help consumers stay on track with oil maintenance,” John Nielsen, AAA’s managing director of Automotive Engineering and Repair. “Many important services that are not typically detailed by those systems are often missed by consumers.”

In the past, vehicle maintenance needs were relatively simple and consistent across automakers. Today’s engineering advancements require less maintenance at less frequent intervals. Examples include oil-change intervals now recommended at 5,000 to 10,000 or more miles, transmission fluids designed to last 100,000 miles and sealed batteries that never need to have fluid added. Even with these advancements, vehicles still require routine services that are important to maintaining the performance and safety of the vehicle.

“Poor maintenance of brake fluid is a critical safety concern. All brake fluid attracts moisture, which can cause the fluid to perform poorly. Lack of maintenance can lead to contaminated fluid, corroded parts and increased stopping distance,” says Greg Brannon, AAA’s director of Automotive Engineering. “Motorists may not be aware of maintenance requirements for brake fluid, or their vehicle’s manufacturer may not recommend a specific interval for replacing the fluid.”

Read the maintenance requirements set by your car’s manufacturer in the owner’s manual. There is no longer a “standard” maintenance schedule for vehicle services – including brake fluid. Each automaker has different requirements, making your owner’s manual the most accurate resource.

Inspect brakes as recommended in your owner’s manual, or sooner if you notice pulsations, pulling, noises while braking or longer stopping distance. Correct minor brake problems promptly. Check your owner’s manual to see if the brake fluid should be changed at a specific interval. If no interval is specified for brake fluid service, AAA suggests flushing the system every two years or anytime the brake system is serviced.

Follow the recommendations of in-vehicle maintenance reminders, as they have the best information to determine maintenance needs for your vehicle because they account for how you actually drive. However, many reminder systems do not specifically cover maintenance operations that need to be performed on a time or mileage basis – such as brake fluid and coolant flushes or timing-belt replacement.

Enlist the help of a trusted repair provider to keep vehicle maintenance on track. Quality repair shops will help motorists schedule and budget for necessary maintenance services. Find a quality repair provider through AAA’s Approved repair network by visiting AAA.com.

Additional information on AAA’s recommendations for proper vehicle maintenance is available on the AAA Newsroom and AAA’s YouTube channel. AAA’s network of more than 7,000 Approved Auto Repair providers is listed on AAA.com. AAA members can receive a free maintenance inspection anytime they have work performed at any of these locations.

As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 54 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.

Study Shows that “Do As I Say, Not as I Do” Attitude Prevails Among Nation’s Drivers

WASHINGTON, D.C., (January 25, 2013) – Motorists who use cell phones while driving are more likely to engage in additional dangerous behaviors such as speeding, driving drowsy, driving without a seatbelt and sending texts or emails, according to a survey conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Additionally, more than two-thirds (69 percent) of licensed drivers reported talking on a cell phone while driving within the last month despite the fact that nearly nine-in-ten respondents (89 percent) believe other drivers using cell phones are a threat to their personal safety.

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“Ninety percent of respondents believe that distracted driving is a somewhat or much bigger problem today than it was three years ago, yet they themselves continue to engage in the same activities,” said Peter Kissinger, President and CEO of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “More work clearly is needed to educate motorists on the risks associated with using a cell phone while driving, especially given that most Americans believe this problem is becoming worse.”

Motorists who fairly often or regularly used their cell phones over the last month also reported that they engaged in additional risky behaviors. The research shows:

65 percent also reported speeding

44 percent also reported driving while drowsy

53 percent also reported sending a text or email

29 percent also drove without a seatbelt

Conversely, drivers that reported never using a cell phone were much less likely to report additional risky behaviors:

31 percent reported speeding

14 percent reported driving drowsy

3 percent reported sending a text or email

16 percent drove without a seatbelt

Despite the near-universal disapproval of texting and emailing while driving (95 percent), more than one-in-four licensed drivers (27 percent) reported sending a text or email at least once in the past 30 days, and more than one-third (35 percent) said they read a text or email while driving. Young drivers age 16-24 were even more likely with more than half (61 percent) reporting having read a text or email while driving in the past month, while more than one-in-four (26 percent) reported checking or updating social media while driving.

“What concerns AAA is this pattern of risky behavior that even goes beyond cell phone use,” said Kathleen Bower, AAA vice president of public affairs. “These same cell phone-using drivers clearly understand the risk of distraction, yet are still likely to engage in a wide range of dangerous driving activities.”

Driver use of cell phones impairs reaction times and roughly quadruples crash risk. Additionally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that more than 3,000 people are killed and nearly half a million are injured each year in crashes involving distraction. This is likely an underestimate given the challenges associated with determining the role of distraction in crashes.

AAA and the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety have long been leading advocates in educating motorists about the risks of distracted driving. AAA recommends that motorists turn off their phone before driving or pull over to a safe place to talk, send texts or use email. AAA also has launched a legislative campaign to advocate for a text messaging ban in all 50 states. To date, 39 states and the District of Columbia have adopted this key traffic safety measure and AAA expects all 11 remaining states to consider this legislation in 2013.

The distraction data were collected as part of the AAA Foundation’s 2012 Traffic Safety Culture Index, a nationally representative, probability-based survey of 3,896 U.S. residents ages 16 and older. The sample is representative of all U.S. households reachable by telephone or by regular mail. The questionnaire was made available in English and Spanish, and respondents were able to complete it in the language of their choice. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety provides additional details in the 2012 Traffic Safety Culture Index and as part of a report called Distracted and Risk-Prone Drivers.

As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 53 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.

Established in 1947 by AAA, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety is an independent, publicly funded, 501(c)(3) charitable research and educational organization. The AAA Foundation’s mission is to prevent traffic deaths and injuries by conducting research into their causes and by educating the public about strategies to prevent crashes and reduce injuries when they do occur. Visit www.aaafoundation.org or www.facebook.com/AAAFTS for more information on how you can join our cause.

(WASHINGTON, March 8, 2012) Speeding remains a significant safety threat on U.S. roadways—contributing to nearly one-third of all traffic deaths each year – and while motorists frequently list aggressive driving as a top safety concern, many still admit to driving well over posted speed limits. Speeding has been commonplace on our roadways for decades and is deeply ingrained in our driving culture, despite resulting in thousands of needless deaths every year.

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AAA hopes today’s report from the Governors Highway Safety Association will prompt state and federal policymakers to devote more attention to these challenges. To address speeding, AAA supports high visibility enforcement campaigns and targeted enforcement in school zones and other critical safety locations. AAA also supports aggressive driving statutes that carry significant penalties for drivers who endanger themselves, other motorists, pedestrians, and other road users. AAA urges policymakers and government officials to focus needed resources on addressing this dangerous behavior. And we, as motorists, need to remember that it’s more important to get somewhere safely than to get there a minute or two sooner.

ORLANDO, Fla., (December 19, 2011) – AAA anticipates it will come to the aid of more than 800,000 stranded motorists during the year-end holiday period, as 83.6 million holiday travelers choose to take to the roadways for their holiday travel plans. Between December 23, 2011 and January 2, 2012 the nation’s largest motor club will be busy with battery replacements and jump starts, changing tires, extricating vehicles from snow, towing vehicles for repair and more.

“Becoming stranded on the roadway can quickly dampen your holiday spirit,” said Marshall L. Doney, vice president, AAA Automotive. “Whether you are planning local day trips or long distance year-end holiday travel, having your vehicle properly maintained and prepared for the rigors of holiday driving will help ensure it gets you to your destination safely and without incident.”

AAA projects its roadside problem-solvers will be able to remedy the issues of more than three out of five stranded motorists at the roadside and send them on their way, but about a quarter of a million travelers will still need a tow this year-end holiday season.

After the need for a tow, the second largest roadside rescue service AAA anticipates performing is replacing or jump starting dead batteries. More than 194,000 requests for help with a dead battery are expected and among those rescues, AAA roadside service personnel will conveniently replace more than 52,000 failed batteries on the spot.

AAA expects to retrieve more than 104,000 sets of keys locked inside vehicles, change more than 95,000 tires and perform more than 38,000 vehicle extrications during the year-end holiday period. Additionally, AAA will deliver fuel to more than 11,000 stranded motorists and perform a variety of miscellaneous roadside rescue services for approximately 91,000 motorists.

Motorists can avoid the causes of some roadside breakdowns by keeping their vehicle properly maintained. AAA advises motorists to follow their vehicle manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule and make sure their vehicle is ready for the rigors of year-end holiday driving.

Motorists seeking a trustworthy repair shop to help prepare their vehicle for winter driving are encouraged to visit one of AAA’s more than 8,000 Approved Auto Repair facilities. AAA’s network of approved repair shops is a free public service that enables consumers to identify professional auto shops staffed by certified technicians who are equipped with the proper tools and equipment to service today’s high-tech automobiles. Consumers can find Approved Auto Repair facilities online at AAA.com/repair.

AAA members who are Android and iPhone users can download AAA Roadside, a mobile smartphone application that enables motorists in need of roadside rescue request help without making a phone call. The user simply enters the details of their situation and clicks an onscreen button. AAA Roadside then transmits the information, and the user’s location as established by the phone’s GPS technology, directly to AAA Roadside Assistance. The app also displays nearby AAA Approved Auto Repair locations so members can easily choose where to have their vehicle towed, if necessary during this year-end holiday season.

As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 52 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.

With the summer driving season approaching and gas prices near $4 per gallon, AAA expands mobile offerings to help plan road trips and compare costs

In just a few weeks millions of Americans will kick off the summer driving season with a Memorial Day getaway. With the current national average price for a gallon of regular, unleaded gasoline at $3.95, $1.04 more than last year, many travelers are concerned about how fuel prices will impact their budget. Those with an Android-compatible smart phone can save time comparing costs with the launch of an Android version of the AAA TripTik® Mobile application. The app, previously available for iPhone, also provides directions and information on restaurants, hotels and attractions.

AAA TripTik Mobile is a GPS-based app with maps showing gas station locations and other points of interest, such as hotels, restaurants and attractions, near a user’s location or any user-specified location. Gas station details include updated prices for all available grades of gasoline. Preference settings allow users to show prices for just their preferred grade and sort stations alphabetically or by distance. AAA membership is not required for the app, which is available for download at the Android Market.

AAA’s Memorial Day Forecast, which will be released in mid-May, will provide insight on how fuel prices will impact summer driving trends; however some travelers may offset expensive fuel costs by traveling a shorter distance, decreasing the duration of their trips or reducing spending in other areas of their travel budget. The free app, as well as AAA’s TripTik Travel Planner (available free at AAA.com) assists users in planning a summer getaway within their budget. These travel planning tools search and display gas prices, hotels, restaurants and attractions along a route or specific address.

Hotel and restaurant information includes AAA’s Diamond Ratings based on professional in-person inspections. There’s also an option to call for lodging reservations with the touch of a button. The AAA TripTik Mobile app also provides maps and turn-by-turn directions to other points of interest including local events, AAA offices and Approved Auto Repair facilities, as well as user-entered addresses. The app can recalculate routes and provide voice guidance for the next maneuver.

AAA TripTik Mobile is the third free app offered by AAA for iPhone and Android users. The AAA Discounts app, with more than a million total downloads, also uses GPS technology to display nearby AAA Show Your Card & Save locations. AAA Roadside enables AAA members who require emergency road service to send their vehicle description and breakdown details directly to AAA. Additional information is provided on AAA.com/mobile.

As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 52 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.

Many Americans are feeling anxiety at the pump as the price of a tank of gas has increased more than 25 percent since the same time last year. As a result of this increase, finding the lowest prices is becoming a top priority for motorists as fuel costs consume a larger chunk of their household budget. Those with an Apple iPhone can save time comparing costs by using the AAA TripTik® Mobile application, the first free app to offer access to frequently updated gas prices.

AAA TripTik Mobile is a GPS-based app with maps showing gas station locations and other points of interest, such as hotels, restaurants and attractions, near a user’s location or any user-specified location. Gas station details include updated prices for all available grades of gasoline. New preference settings allow users to show prices for just their preferred grade and sort stations alphabetically or by distance.

Hotel and restaurant information includes AAA’s Diamond Ratings based on professional in-person inspections. There’s also an option to call for lodging reservations with the touch of a button. The AAA TripTik Mobile app also provides maps and turn-by-turn directions to other points of interest including local events, AAA offices and Approved Auto Repair facilities, as well as user-entered addresses. The app can recalculate routes and provide voice guidance for the next maneuver.

AAA also offers the added convenience of integration between its online and mobile products. Travelers that want to plan a trip in advance or share directions with friends or family can use TripTik Travel Planner at AAA.com to create and save routes. Saved routes that may include stops along the way will generate a unique AAA TripTik ID. This ID can then be used with the app to download the maps and directions. The ID can be shared with multiple TripTik Mobile app users and the entire downloaded route can be modified on the iPhone as needed. (Saving routes requires registration on AAA.com and may require AAA membership.)

AAA TripTik Mobile is the third free iPhone app offered by AAA. The AAA Discounts app, with more than a million total downloads, also uses GPS technology to display nearby AAA Show Your Card & Save locations. AAA Roadside enables AAA members who require emergency road service to send their vehicle description and breakdown details directly to AAA. Additional information is provided on AAA.com/mobile.

As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 52 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at AAA.com.

“As the United States marks a new record high price for gasoline, AAA is keenly aware of the rising financial pressure fuel costs are placing on millions of American families.

Motorists who rely on their automobiles to work, shop, and play are understandably upset that the cost of driving is becoming less affordable with each passing year. Every extra dollar needed to fill up the car is a dollar not available for groceries, housing, education, vacations, paying off debt, and other key aspects of American families’ lives. Knowing there are no easy solutions to America’s energy challenges, AAA believes the Presidential candidates should each take this opportunity to clearly articulate long-term, comprehensive energy strategies so voters can understand how they would address this key issue.”

As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides nearly 51 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, the not-for-profit, fully tax-paying AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. AAA clubs can be visited on the Internet at www.AAA.com

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This is the official newsroom of AAA, a not-for-profit organization that provides its members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive services and information. Since its founding in 1902, AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.